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Trainee driving schemes for young drivers

There is currently a real shortage of lorry drivers, and many more will be needed as an ageing workforce, with an average age of 57, come up for retirement.

As one of the largest haulage companies in the south, we are looking at different ways to address this skills shortage. We employ people from the local area, especially the towns of Newhaven, Seaford, Eastbourne, Lewes and Brighton. We aim to encourage young people to understand that driving a large goods vehicle (LGV) or heavy goods vehicle (HGVs) as they are frequently known, can lead to a very worthwhile career in the logistics industry.

As more and more buyers order goods online, people are expecting them to be delivered quickly and efficiently but a lack of LGV drivers will have a detrimental effect, not just on personal deliveries, but also on fresh food. The only way that our food can reach shops, restaurants and supermarkets is by road. The system is under pressure from all sides; a retiring workforce; a lack of driving skills and an increasing number of drivers returning to their homes across Europe. The Freight Transport Association says the UK is 52,000 HGV drivers short of what is needed and this figure is only expected to rise in the future.

Driving pays much more than it once did. Our trainee driver scheme starts young drivers off on the smaller delivery trucks earning a salary of circa £18,000 and that increases as they progress through classes C1, C and C+E to earn salaries of circa £35,000 per year.

LGV drivers are crucial to the economy and professional drivers, especially those just joining the industry, have great potential for further earnings and advancement.

At Tomsetts, we pay a full wage whilst you are learning and will fund your LGV courses on top of this, training you to professional standards. The company also supports career progression in the industry, which is underrated and often over-looked.

We believe in paying a good starting salary for a keen driver, male or female, who is willing to learn and on whom we can invest time and training.

As with many of the other UK haulage businesses, Tomsetts is family run and the company has been established in Newhaven for over 40 years. Like many other haulage firms, our staff work as a large team and most LGV drivers tend to remain with the same employer for many years.

The worry of long hours away from home, and long hours at the wheel, has lessened with larger centralised hubs and loads being more efficiently moved around the country.Therefore, with better working conditions and salaries, the opportunity to have your courses paid for and be supported while you earn a good starting salary means that driving could, once again, become a job that younger people will consider.

If you would like to know more, please download our fact sheet which explains more about the role; entry requirements; skills needed; working hours and career progression.

If you are a young person who would like to come and have a chat about what we offer, please email Andrew@tomsetts.co.uk, alternatively, if you are a driver who would like to apply for a driving job, please visit our driver recruitment page for application details.